Two suspects arrested over Deborah Samuel lynching remanded in prison

Two suspects, Bilyaminu Aliyu, and Aminu Hukunchi, arrested by the police over the killing of Deborah Samuel, have been remanded in prison.

Police arrested and arraigned the two suspects in connection with the murder of Deboah, a 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto Sokoto, who was accused of blasphemy.

The two suspects, who are also students of the college, were arraigned on Monday before a magistrate’s court in the state.

Police First Information Report said the suspects were arraigned as a result of the mob action which led to the lynching of Deborah.

The suspects, meanwhile, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Consequently, the police prosecutor, Inspector Khalil Musa, asked the court for another date to enable the police complete their investigation.

Though the defence counsels, led by Professor Mansur Ibrahim, did not oppose the application, they pleaded with the court to grant the defendants bail, citing sections 157, 161(a,f) and 164 of the administration of criminal justice law of Sokoto state, as well as 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

The court after listening to the counsels adjourned ruling on the application to a later date which would be communicated to the lawyers.

It then directed that the defendants should be remanded at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.